Plans to build a huge housing estate between a village and a hamlet in the north of the borough have sparked fierce opposition.

The proposals, from Jupiter Strategic Land, for 450 homes between Barlestone and Osbaston are being fought by both communities and local councillors.

A petition with 434 signatures was presented at a recent Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council meeting and residents are also being urged to write in with their objections.

The ambitious application for land at Cunnery Close west of Bosworth Road and east of the A447 Ashby Road, features enough dwellings to triple the size of tiny Osbaston along with ideas for leisure, commercial and business units, a children’s day nursery and a medical centre.

The size of the venture, called Thrussell Meadows, has caused concern particularly as it brings the two settlements within one field of one another.

Cllr Crooks said: “The applicant is the organisation behind the Barlestone Big Listen questionnaire which was put around the village earlier this year. All this consultation took place in Barlestone but the majority of the housing is in the parish of Osbaston.

“Osbaston is classed as a hamlet and planning policy says there should only be ‘infilling’ with such settlements not a massive estate of 300 which would triple the size of the place.

“There is real strength of feeling against this application. It will bring Barlestone to within one field of Osbaston and think then what pressure that site would come under for development?”

As well as the sheer size of the bid, main objections surround poor access to and from the proposed estate

with routes along single track lanes, a narrow bridge and a junction on the brow of a hill.

Other concerns have also been raised and passed on to the battling councillors.

Cllr Mullaney added: “People raised many concerns about the proposed development. There are worries the already overstretched roads could not cope with this size of development, the primary school is already heavily subscribed and could not manage the possible amount of new students. The sewage works are also already struggling to cope and this scale of development would be simply too much.”

The application remains under consideration and no date has yet been made for it to go before the planning committee.